Fla. Ed board requests nearly $2B for new classrooms

ORLANDO (AP) -- Florida lawmakers said they'll ask voters to reconsider their approval of class size reductions after the state Board of Education requested nearly $2 billion to build new classrooms.

The board voted unanimously Tuesday to seek $1.9 billion from the Legislature next spring to build 6,500 new classrooms. The classrooms are needed to comply with a 2002 change in the state constitution that limits the number of students per class.

Education officials also said school districts would need an additional $2.3 billion in construction money to reduce class sizes by the 2010 deadline.

"They need to know that there is a significant amount of money there before they can plan in earnest," Education Commission John Winn said.

Board Chairman Phil Handy said the budget request requires districts to use all available classrooms and redraw attendance zones to fill schools that are not completely full.

House and Senate leaders said the $1.9 billion price tag for classroom construction would pull money away from other state programs. The cost of building new classrooms could only be paid through "program cuts or massive debt," Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, said in a statement.

House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, also said he would revisit the amendment in the Legislature next year.

Gov. Jeb Bush, who opposed the class-size measure, said he would submit an alternative proposal to legislators, but declined to give more details.

Florida school districts currently have until 2010 to reduce classes to just 18 students in pre-kindergarten through third grade, 22 students in grades four through eight, and 25 students in high school classes.